Bodhi’s story

I started working with Bodhi's family because he has fructose malabsorption—a condition he will have for his entire life. Fructose is a naturally-occurring sugar that’s found in many foods, including fruits and grains. Most of us easily absorb fructose and turn it into energy in the small intestine. However, people with fructose malabsorption cannot process this sugar, and as a result, experience a variety of unpleasant symptoms, including bloating, cramping, gas and diarrhea .

This is Bodhi cooking with me at summer campBecause of this condition Bodhi has an extensive number of food challenges. He cannot eat:

wheat

rye

barley

corn in any form (including high fructose corn syrup)

brown rice

potatoes and sweet potatoes in any form

honey

agave

nuts (tree and ground)

dairy (from cows, goats, or sheep)

numerous vegetables (including onions and carrots)

most fruits

What this means for the family is that Bodhi cannot eat any commercially processed foods—because every single processed food contains one or more of the ingredients that will make him sick. This is especially challenging: he must always have home prepared bread, crackers, tortillas, and baked goods.

Bodhi and his brownies!When I did my initial consultation with the family, Bodhi told me he wanted brownies—at four years old, he had not yet tasted a brownie that had not made him sick—so I developed a recipe for "Bodhi brownies." His mom, Zoom, comfirms that he loves them: "Bodhi’s most loved food are Katrina’s brownies—wheat-free, dairy-free, nuts/peanuts-free, corn-free, and brown rice-free. Bodhi says, 'Theytaste AWESOME. They are the best ever. Mommy, can you please learn to make this?' "